Just the way things were
by Rose Valerie
Summary: The story of how Luna Lovegood's mother died, and why she's so optimistic, why she believes in everything that apparently walks. Rated T for death.


**Hi this is "It Was Nargles" speaking to you here. This is a fanfic that Bookworm77071 wrote with input from me, and it's being published under her account. I just added a few bits here and there (guess which!). Most of this story was written by her though, so all comments and reviews to her please. Well I'll hand you over as she has some A/N to say….**

**BOOKWORM77071:**

**A/N:****  
><strong>**Um, hi. This is my first fanfic co-written with it was nargles. It's basically the story of Luna's mother's death. Please keep in mind that this is my first fanfic, and I'm cool with you telling me that you hate it, but please don't, like, hack into my account because you hate it so much. Also, we will be doing another one-shot about Luna, so if you like this one, you might want to put it was nargles on alert. So, enjoy, and please review!**

* * *

><p>Luna Lovegood sat at her kitchen table, watching her father cook some Freshwater Plimpies for dinner. She loved watching Daddy cook, he was wonderful at it. She enjoyed watching him as he cut up the fish in a slow and graceful way. Her father had a unique way for putting something more than ingredients into her food- when he cooked it was always more fascinating and special than mere cooking. Luna's mother often said that Luna had this gift as well, but Luna didn't really believe her.<p>

He had already stirred the servings of Gurdyroot Infusion as a drink. Luna always thought it was tasty, but bitter with a spicy kick. Her father thought it tasted rather like Muggle coffee.  
>Luna was daydreaming about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the magical school she would attend in two years time, she wondered what it would be like and what house she'd be in. She has decided long ago that she would accept what house she was in- it was the way things were and Luna didn't question the way things were.<br>"Luna, dear," Daddy said, in a soft voice full of love, "Go tell your mother that dinner is ready."  
>"Yes, Daddy," Luna replied dreamily. Luna always said things in a dreamy tone. She was always dreaming. She dreamed of being in a happier place. Her dream lands were full of mystical creatures and Snorkacks and lakes of lemonade…. This was silly, because she had such a loving happy family and she was born exactly fourteen months after Lord Voldemort disappeared, which was because of Harry Potter, the famous Boy-Who-Lived. He, like Voldemort, had disappeared on October 31, 1980. Luna pitied him, because she knew that wherever he was, it wasn't with his parents. That's why Luna appreciated having both of hers. But his parents' death was the way things were, and Luna didn't question the way things were, even if she did feel sorry for him.<p>

Luna had jumped back into reality when she reached the attic door. This door was the door to The Experiment Room. It was quite small inside, but there was a skylight window that was often propped open to let out smoke. Three of the attic walls were lined with shelves piled high with many bottles with multi coloured liquids and concoctions inside. In one corner was a cage for her mother's pet blibbering humdinger, and in the center of the room was a large table. The table was always full of things, glass bottles and beakers as well as a muggle Bunsen burner and a huge stack of quibblers. There was also a special draw full of unusual ingredients and herbs- some where grown in the Lovegood garden others were bought and some were completely illegal. There was also a sink and any number of strange whirring contraptions. The forth wall was covered in doodles and messages and reminders that Liana, Luna's mother, had scribbled when she was short of paper. From the low ceiling hung lots of charms and homemade decorations. On Liana's desk was a family photograph from last Christmas. To most little girls their bedroom was the most special room but to Luna it had always been her mother's experiment room. Sometimes Liana slept up there and then Luna would end up sleeping there too, and then in the middle of the night here father would come in and camp there as well It was a special room where Luna's mother invented potions and tested spells and did all sorts of experiments.

Sometimes, when Mummy was positive nothing would explode, she let Luna and Ginny watch her experiment. Luna and Ginny loved these times, and when Mummy would call, "Luna! I think I have something you might want to see!" Luna would race up the stairs to the attic where Mummy would be waiting, and ask," Can I go get Ginny, Mummy?" And Mrs. Lovegood would smile, and say "Of course!" while nodding her head. Luna would race to the Weasley's house and knock on the door.  
>Luna loved Ginny's house almost as much as she loved her own. It always smelled of Love and home-cooked food, and Mrs. Weasley treated her as a daughter. When she would get there, Ron would open the door. It was always Ron. Luna didn't know why. It was the way things were, and Luna didn't question the way things were.<br>When Ron would see that it was Luna, he would call out, "Ginny! Someone is here for you!" Then Ginny would run downstairs and when she would see that it was Luna, she'd ask excitedly, "Is it your mum?" and Luna would nod her head. Ginny would come and shout, "Mum, I'm going to the Lovegood's!" Mrs Weasley would yell to Ginny to be home for dinner (although sometimes Ginny would eat at the Lovegood's house).  
>Ginny and Luna would run just up the high hill that led to Luna's house. Luna knew Ginny thought her house was strange, but she was proud of it. Sometimes they had to bee quiet when Luna's father was writing, and that was hard for two excited little girls. They would race up the attic stairs to the experiment room. There they would watch the exciting happens in the weird and wonderful haven.<p>

That particular afternoon, whilst Luna's father was putting his heart and soul into his cooking, Liana Lovegood stirred her potion, humming happily, much to the delight of her Blibbering Humdinger, who was humming louder than Liana thought possible. She had found a new spell, and she could not wait to try it out. It was a dangerous spell, but she was adventurous. Liana hesitated trying out the spell, but a voice in her head said, "Come now, Liana, where's your Gryffindor courage?" She opened her mouth, "Expa-" the door opened….

Luna knocked on The Experiment Room door, and waited for her mum to answer. She didn't, and Luna didn't blame her. The Blibbering Humdinger was really loud. Surely Mummy won't hear me through this noise, Luna thought. I might as well go ahead and open the door.  
>Through the door she heard, "Expa,"<br>She opened the door.  
>"-mus!" Liana cried.<br>The blue jet of light was wrapping itself around Liana. There was smoke gathering, she couldn't see a thing, but she could make out a hazy outline of her mother. Luna coughed, and waved her arms to try and clear the smoke. It worked- Luna's magic made it go away. She could see her mum, and suddenly realized why there was smoke.  
>There was fire.<br>"The water spell, Mum! Do the water spell!" she yelled.  
>Liana looked at her daughter with loving eyes. "I love you, Luna," She whispered. "Tell your father I love him too."<br>"I love you, Mummy. Daddy loves you too."  
>Liana opened her mouth to say something but then decided not to. She had to be strong for her daughter. She closed her eyes as the flames drew closer. They were not heat flames, like ordinary fire, they were freeze flames and Liana knew now that she would freeze to death. The flames acted quicker than ice cold water A part of Luna knew too, but she didn't' want to believe it. She didn't leave her mother's side she just stayed beside her as she slowly froze to death, the flames eating her slowly. Luna didn't cry but as the flames devoured her mother, Luna became paler and paler and she shook with fear and sadness.<p>

Liana sat, surrounded by flames that were slowly closing in on her. She stared around at what Luna called The Experiment Room. There were so many memories in here, and Liana didn't want to let them go.  
>She could remember the first time Luna had come in, eyes wide open, as she wandered the room. She had been only two, and now, Luna didn't seem to be as pleased to be in the room as she had when she was younger.<br>Liana felt guilty as she watched her daughter with tears in her eyes, but also pride as she realised that Luna would not let them fall. She was such a brave girl, and Liana was very smug that she had given birth to her. Liana put her last ounces of strength into remembering all the happy times she'd had in her life.  
>Her guilt came back, but quickly went away when she looked at Luna. Her death was just the way things were, and Luna didn't question the way things were.<br>With the happy thought of her beloved daughter forgiving her, Liana smiled at Luna one last time, and closed her eyes, and let the cold take her, leaving just a trace of happiness to be etched on her face forever.

Xenophilius Lovegood looked at the clock and listened. Where was Luna? She should have been here by now. He heard a yell from upstairs.  
>"Daddy!" Luna's voice called, frightened. He grabbed his wand.<br>What saw him scared him.  
>He saw Liana, dead, with Luna holding her hand.<br>Xeno felt his heart break, and tears began to fall down his cheeks.  
>"Liana," he sobbed, "Oh Liana! Liana! Oh, oh, oh..."<br>Luna stood up, dusted herself off, and patted her father on his shoulder, she gave him a hug.  
>"It's okay, Daddy," she crooned, "It's okay."<br>They were switching roles here, and Xeno knew it. He should be comforting her, not the other way around. She sighed shakily.  
>"I'm going to Ginny's, Daddy," Luna said.<br>Xeno felt himself nod, and Luna left the room.  
>He heard the door close, and began to sob hysterically as hugged Liana's body tight to him. He found himself reaching for a parchment and quill, and he shakily wrote:<br>Dear Arthur,  
>Liana's dead. Luna saw it happen. Don't want to ask her. Please help.<p>

~Xeno

***  
>Arthur read the letter.<br>He found himself running to the Auror office. He ran into Kingsley Shacklebolt, a new addition to the Ministry.  
>"What's wrong, Arthur?"<br>Arthur showed him the letter.  
>Kingsley's eyes winded in shock.<p>

"M-moody!"

***  
>Luna walked slowly to the Weasley's when she got there, she knocked on the door. Ron swung it open. He saw Luna and, as usual, called out, "Ginny! Someone is here for you!"<br>Ginny ran down the stairs.  
>"Is it your mum?" Ginny asked excitedly.<br>Luna felt her head nod up and down. "Yeah," she said, the tears spilling.  
>"Oh- I'll go- go get- I-I'll go get some tea," Ron said, rather hurriedly.<br>Ginny was already hugging Luna. She was whispering words of comfort into Luna's hair. She was walking her over to the couch, were she sat Luna down next to her, and rested Luna's head onto her shoulder. Luna felt Ginny's hands stroking her hair.  
>"Fred! George! Bill! Charlie! Percy! Come down!" Ginny yelled out.<br>There was a scramble of noise from upstairs. The boys had only just reached the bottom step only to see Molly bustling in from the kitchen.

"Uh, Mum, I don't think-" Ron said.  
>"Boys," Molly said, ignoring Ron, "You're father-"<br>"Uh, Mum?"  
>"-is going to be-"<p>

"Mum!"

"-late from-"  
>"Mum! Seriously! Stop!"<br>"-the Ministry today,-"  
>"Mum, really," Ron said desperately.<br>"-he's helping some Auror's, Liana Lovegood died. Now," she said, turning to Ron, "what did you want to tell me?"  
>Ron pointed to Luna's figure shaking on Ginny's shoulder.<br>"Oh!" Molly's hands flew up to her mouth. "Why didn't you tell me?" she hissed at Ron.  
>Ron rolled his eyes, and went to get the tea.<p>

Luna found herself sitting in between Ron and Ginny, sipping some tea and eating cookies made by Molly Weasley, who was sitting and apologizing over and over again to Luna, deaf to her protest that it wasn't her fault. Molly kept giving Luna cookies, but Luna couldn't taste them. What she really wanted was some pudding that her Mum made- used to make.  
>Fred and George were trying to make Luna laugh, telling her stories of their first and second years at Hogwarts. Percy, Bill, and Charlie were telling her not to worry, that it would be alright, and Percy was telling Luna how St. Mungo's could cure anything. Ron was reading about magical creatures and sprouting out random facts to Luna. ("Did you know that a six-year-old killed an Erkling?") Fred then said, "Well, look at the bright side- at least now you'll be your own person and not always, 'completely Liana's daughter.'"<br>There was silence. Then-  
>"Oh, God," Ron said, banging his head against the table.<br>"Really Fred? Really?" George asked.  
>Charlie and Bill were shaking their heads.<br>"Fred, you have less tact then Ron," Percy said.  
>Mrs. Weasley simply got up, and began to make dinner.<br>"Care to join us for supper, Luna? Your father is welcome to come too."  
>"Sure, Mrs. Weasley. Thanks."<br>Luna got up and she and Luna started to help with dinner. She looked out the kitchen window, and saw a silvery-gray flower. It was the color of her mum's eye.  
>Luna suddenly felt ashamed. What would her mum say if she saw Luna crying? Luna began to busy herself with food, and didn't let herself sit down to rest. She cooked and cleaned as if her life depended on it, and her hard work paid off when she proudly showed her father the pudding that was her mum's own creation.<br>From that day forward, Luna took things just the way things were, always looked at the bright side, and believed in everything her mum did, or never got the chance too.


End file.
